Easy Detox Smoothie (That Actually Tastes Good!)

Ingredients

The thing I love most about smoothies is how easily you can customize them based on what your body needs and what you have in your refrigerator/freezer. This one is filled with natural ingredients that support digestion, hydration and immunity!

See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

• Pineapple - I use frozen pineapple...just make sure there's added sugar! Pineapple is plenty sweet all by itself.
• Apple - I use a green apple in this recipe and leave the skin on for maximum health benefits. Sweet apples work as well!
• Fresh baby spinach or kale - Pro tip: put a (unbleached!) paper towel in the container that your spinach or kale comes in. This helps absorb moisture and keeps your leafy greens fresher longer!
• Ginger - You can easily push ginger skin off by using a spoon, then slice it into chunks and store it in the freezer to have it on hand whenever needed.
• Lime - I use both lime juice and lime zest. I love how much bright flavor the zest adds!
• Coconut milk - This compliments the tropical flavor of the pineapple perfectly and makes the smoothie creamy. If desired, you can skip coconut milk and use coconut water or even filtered water. I like to keep canned coconut milk in my pantry all the time because I use it so frequently. I opted for light coconut milk for this smoothie!
• Ice cubes

How to Make this Easy Detox Smoothie

1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend from low to the highest speed until perfectly smooth. You may need to use your blender's tamper/plunger to get it started.  
2. Serve immediately.

Optional Smoothie Boosters

Boost the nutritional content with any of the following, as all would make for great additions:

• chia seeds
• hemp seeds
• flax seeds
• moringa leaf powder (or matcha powder)
• spirulina
• fresh mint

Variations or Modifications

While this recipe is my favorite in terms of taste and health benefits, detox smoothies can be made from a variety of combinations of fresh fruit, frozen fruit and fresh vegetables. Feel free to add or substitute for any of these ingredients:

• Fruit: lemon juice, wild blueberries, ripe or frozen banana
• Vegetables: raw beets, frozen cauliflower rice
• Protein powder: I prefer unflavored, unsweetened pumpkin seed protein powder.

Health Benefits of Pineapple

Pineapples are naturally sweet with tropical flavor and are a key ingredient of this smoothie.

Pineapples contain bromelain, a group of enzymes that breaks down protein. Bromelain may aid with the digestive system as well as act as an anti-inflammatory (source).

They are also high in vitamin C (one serving provides 50% of your recommended daily amount!), so it's a great support to your immune system. In addition to vitamin C, pineapples are rich in nutrients including calcium, potassium and vitamin A.

Health Benefits of Apples

Apples are SUPER hydrating (they're made of 85% water!) while being low in calories and high in fiber.

Like pineapple, apples are high in vitamin C, which helps your body grow and repair tissues, heal cuts and wounds, and keeps your teeth and gums super strong. Both apples and pineapple provide dietary fiber as well.

For more information on the health benefits of apples, see this article I wrote for The Washington Post.

Health Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is totally underrated in smoothies and juices! I love the little bit of zing that it adds, and it pairs so well with sweeter ingredients like apple and pineapple.

Fresh ginger can be helpful for digestion and is wonderful and soothing if you have an upset stomach, so it's great for your stomach first thing in the morning. Ginger is a traditional remedy to relieve common health problems, including pain, nausea, and vomiting (source).

Health Benefits of Spinach

Dark, leafy greens are so good for you! I usually include a huge handful of spinach when I make a smoothie...in fact, I'll actually stuff my blender to the top with it!

You really can’t taste spinach in a smoothie like this one. All of the other flavors cover it up and you can feel great knowing you got a bunch of greens in first thing in the morning. Spinach is high in vitamins C, K, and A. It also has folate, manganese, magnesium, and iron.

Health Benefits of Limes

I think limes get overlooked as a nutritious ingredient because they're so tiny and usually used for a burst of flavor, but these little green fruits are really good for you! Limes are high in vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron. This makes it a great companion for the spinach in this smoothie!

More Healthy Smoothie Recipes

• Tropical Green Smoothie
• Beets & Greens Detox Smoothie
• Sunshine Smoothie
• Minty Kale Smoothie
• Vegan Wild Blueberry & Almond Butter Smoothie
• Creamy Minty Wheatgrass Smoothie
• Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie
• Green Aid